Eat a Rainbow Foundation – a changemaker story
About This Project
In 2020 BAF partnered with local changemakers, Momo Martin and Michelle Hartley, to support the establishment of The Eat a Rainbow Foundation (EARF). Three year’s later and EARF is thriving, providing nourishing meals to families experiencing crisis or significant periods of stress. EARF works in partnership with other charities or agencies to ensure that meals reach the families most in need. Current partners include Rodrique Hope Charitable Trust, Gabby Starlit Charitable Trust, the Children’s ward at Taranaki hospital, Community Nurses, WISE Charitable Trust, Zeal Taranaki and a local Primary School.
The EARF journey began when New Zealand went into COVID lockdown in 2020. Momo and Michelle saw a need during this tough time and donated meals created in their catering company, Theory Food LTD, to support New Plymouth’s most vulnerable families. By the end of lockdown over 1200 meals had been donated to families going through a range of challenges, from tamariki going through cancer treatment during lockdown, to families requiring emergency housing. Momo and Michelle learnt that this need was much larger than they realised and was something that required a new entity to fully respond and sustainably support.
BAF supported the start-up journey of EARF providing guidance around the entity structure, gaining Charities status, strategy and financial sustainability including funding applications. BAF also joined the inaugural trust board alongside Momo and Michelle, Maura young and Zara Ryan, providing governance advice and leadership for the first few years of EARF’s operation.
“Having Simon lead and mentor the foundation establishment was instrumental to the success of the organisation. Through his role, he has enabled the organisation to grow significantly to sustainably support more whanau in need. His knowledge of the Not For Profit and community sector is significant and has allowed us to formulate the foundation to be in the best position to operate and share what the organisation does to funders and key community partners”. – Momo
The Eat a Rainbow Foundation mission is to help vulnerable families nourish their loved ones by producing a range of healthy and wholesome pre-made meals created with naturally colourful ingredients, in a way that is convenient. Fresh ingredients are sourced locally, with the ready-made meals being delivered frozen to partner charities in environmentally friendly packaging. Their partner charities identify the families and tamariki that are in need and contact them directly to arrange a delivery.
Meals are provided to vulnerable families, such as young tamariki undergoing cancer treatment, families requiring emergency housing or those admitted to children’s wards outside of meal hours. It is hoped that the ready-made nutritious meals help in some way to alleviate the challenge they face. The food packs contain between 10 – 20 meals, with sizes depending on the number of family members and freezer capacity. They are ready-made, which makes them easy for families that might have limited cooking facilities.
Momo and Michelle are great examples of the generous changemakers BAF is working to support. Through Theory Food, Momo and Michelle continue to provide 10% of their revenue each month to The Eat a Rainbow Foundation to support its work.
“We can’t thank Simon and BAF enough for his involvement with the foundation, and the support and advice he has given to Michelle and I over the last few years – we simply wouldn’t have gotten there without Simon” – Momo
